In the News

Social Media Campaign Launches During National Mentoring Month and Aims to Get Big Brothers Big Sisters Believers to Start Something® [Again]

January 3, 2013 – Big Brothers Big Sisters marks National Mentoring Month with the launch of a nationwide campaign to locate and reunite with former Bigs, Littles, donors and staff, board and family members.

The reunion effort is an extension of Start Something®, a national initiative Big Brothers Big Sisters unveiled two years ago in partnership with the Ad Council. The effort invites all adults – not just volunteers -- to support quality mentoring to change the odds for children facing adversity.

"Our nationwide search and reunite effort extends Start Something to hundreds of thousands of people who have an affinity with Big Brothers Big Sisters, but have not been asked to stay or become re-engaged with the organization," said Big Brothers Big Sisters of America President and Chief Executive Officer Charles Pierson. "Our hope is that by bringing our alumni together and showing them how much we appreciate them, we will open avenues for people who are already invested in our work to Start Something [Again] to help kids succeed in school and life."

The alumni search and reunite campaign was developed by Brand Architecture, headed by Frederic Terral, a former Big Brother, himself, who often wondered why the organization never asked him to donate or re-enroll as a mentor. The program includes creative elements, social media strategies, and "ReuniteNow.org" guerilla marketing tactics. In addition, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America will produce a series of public service announcements featuring notable former "Bigs" and "Littles" and celebrity supporters who will tell their stories and invite alumni to Start Something [Again].

Big Brothers Big Sisters carefully matches children of single, low-income or incarcerated parents or sons and daughters of military personnel in long-term, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships. Independent studies find Littles are more likely than their peers to show improvement in school, their behavior and their self-esteem and aspirations.

People who register via BigBrothersBigSisters.org to join the alumni network will have opportunities to be recognized in marketing efforts and special VIP events with celebrity supporters and ambassadors. Throughout the year, Big Brothers Big Sisters will invite corporate partners to offer alumni special offers and discounts. National alumni network members will also be able to reconnect personally with their former Bigs, Littles, staff or board members and friends, and enjoy membership in existing or soon-to-be formed local auxiliary or booster clubs to support recruitment and fundraising efforts.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters

Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, holds itself accountable for children in its program to achieve measurable outcomes, such as educational success; avoidance of risky behaviors; and higher aspirations, greater confidence and better relationships. Partnering with parents/guardians, schools, corporations and others in the community, Big Brothers Big Sisters carefully pairs children ("Littles") with screened volunteer mentors ("Bigs") and monitors and supports these one-to-one mentoring matches throughout their course. The first-ever Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Outcomes Summary, released in 2012, substantiates that its mentoring programs have proven, positive academic, socio-emotional and behavioral outcomes for youth, areas linked to high school graduation, avoidance of juvenile delinquency and college or job readiness.

Big Brothers Big Sisters provides children facing adversity, often those of single or low-income households or families where a parent is incarcerated or serving in the military, with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. This mission has been the cornerstone of the organization’s 100-year history. With about 350 agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves nearly 630,000 children, volunteers and families. The organization is engaged in a nationwide search to reunite with alumni mentors, mentees, donors, and family, staff and board members. Learn more at BigBrothersBigSisters.org.